Refrigerant receiver and expander for refrigerating plants.



F. BISHOP. REPRIGERANT RECEIVER AND EXPANDEE FOR REPRIGERATING PLANTS.

- APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1, 1909. 952,063.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

Int/677%? 0K9 M21 512 mm W M MUBM capacity generally a needle valve.

n t srars I FRANK BISHOP, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR. 0F ONE-HALF T0 RALPH W.

. EMERSON, OF SOUTH BEND; INDIANA.

EEFRIGEBANT RECEIVER AND EXPANDER FOR REFRIGEBATING PLANTS.

Specification of Letters Patent. '1

Application filed June 1, 1909. Serial No. 499,526.

fication.

My invention consists in a refrigerant receiver and expander for refrigerating plants.

Heretofore it has been customary to control the expansion of the refrigerant received from the compressor and'condenser or as I will term it, from the compression side of the system-in condensed form into the refrigeratin -coilsor expansion side of the system'tl1rough an adjustable valve, I have found that in refrigerating practice, great-difficulty is encountered in providing accurate and proper adjustment of the needle valve. This is particularly true in small'refrigeratingplants for household service, where the capacity of the condensing andrcompressmg a paratus' is small and an undue opening of the expansion valve, providing passageway for the-refrigerant in excess "of the.

of the-pump and condenser, will result in'a most; unnecessary drop in the efiiciency' of the system. Such household systems, furthermore, being under regula-' tion and operation by persons unskilled in the care of such apparatus, are particularly propl "to t e capacity of the pump-and condenser To this end, my invention-contemplates in general the provision ofa receptacle for the refrigerant for connection with the compression side of the system, opening to the refrigerati'n coils only through an accu' "rately g g and invariable p and it further contemplates the provision of a mechanical structure and arrangement advantageous in cheapness, simplicity, reliability' in operation, efficiency, and general utility.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated for purposes of full disclosure an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a device embodying my invention on line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a'vertical section on line 22 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged erspective of a section of the reducing mem er.

In the construction shown, 4 indicates in eneral 'a casting providing a receptacle 5 or refrigerant, having communicating therewith a supply pipe6 leading thereto, it will beunderstood, from the condenser and compressor so as to supply refri erant to the receptacle 5 in condensed condition. At its opposite extremity, the receptacle 5 communicates through a passage 7 with a cylindrical chamber 8 in the head structure 9, formed in the casting 4 and having made in its bottom wall a passa e 10, surrounded by an annular groove 11, t e boss 13 within said groove, immediately surrounding the passage 10, being preferably ground oif to a little lower level than the adjoining plane of theinternal bottom wall of the casting.

Within the group 11 is seated a packing ring 13 overlain by a reducer 14, preferably in the form of a cup having a planar upper v inn'n'ediately' upon thepackin'g .13; its planar portion15 overlying the boss 12 so that its top 'suiface is substantially flush with the bottom of the receptacle; and its orifice 16' communicating with the passage 10. The orifice 16 will'vary in diameter according to the particular capacity for which the device is intended, but, for example, I have found that'ina small household refrigerating system intended 'to' produce a refrlgerating effeet substantially equivalent to the melting of150 )ounds of ice per day, an orifice of approximately 1/100 of an inch is adequate. It will be understood bythose skilled in the art, that the precise size of the orifice must be calculated according to the characteris tics of the plant in which the devlce 18 to be installed, andthat-the data above given are suggestive merely.

Patented Mar. 15, 1910.

- screw 20 and the upper surface of the reducer 14, I interpose a filtering body 21,

which I prefer shall bein the form of a cylinder of unglazed porcelain, or other equivalent hard porous material, the cylin der standing upright to completely surround the orifice 16 in the reducer, at its lower side pressing upon the reducer and at itsupper side; receivmg the pressure from the screw 20. The screw 20 preferably has a downward extension 20, which under operative conditions may extend almost or quite into contact withthe reducer 14, the extension 22 serving as a guide and internal support for the filtering cylinder 21. The extension 20" preferably has a spiral groove similar to a screw thread cut in its'surface, as indicated at 23, for conducting fluid toward its end; and adjacent its lower extremity may conveniently be provided with transverse bores Qlanda larger axial bore 25 immediately in register with the orifice 16 in the reducer.

To the bottom of the casting 4.- beneath the head 9 and in communication with the passage 10, I arrange a gland or fitting 26consisting of a male member to fit into'groove p which might tend to clef 27 and provided with a gasket 27, and in communication with the fitting 26 a pipe continuation 28, which it will be understood leads to the refrigerating or expansion pipes.

For imparting a finish to the structure and edectually concealing the screw 20, I provide a screw cap 30 upon the exposed'upper end of the screw 20 and making a broken oint with the head 31.

Now it will be understood that the refrigerant, enterin the receptacle 5 through the channel 7 and passing thence into the head chamber 8, completely envelops the cylinder 21'. Ubviouslythe cylinder 21 offers but little restraint to the compressed re frigerant, but acts as a purifier therefor, removing all physical impurities therefrom the orifice 16 of the reducer. The re rigerant, passing through the cylinder, may Ipass down the spiral groove 23 and throng the apertures 24 and 25 to the orifice 16 of the reducer. Through this reduced orifice a certain predetermined amount of the compressed refrigerant only will flow in a iven space of time and the orifice, is prefers ly calculated with reference to the supply capacity ofthe hhaqpdd condenser and compressor. Passing the orifice 16, the refrigerant escapes through the channel 10 into outlet connection 26 and passes in circulation through the balance of the plant in the usual manner.

In order more clearly to illustrate the effects of my device upon a refrigerating plant and more fully reveal the advantages thereof in producing rapid cooling of the brine, I will now explain the preferred operation of a refrigerating plant embodying my invention. The system is started in operation in the usual manner and is allowedto run until the brine has cooled to about 20 F., at which time the diderence in pressurebetween the upper and lower coils has. caused all of the liquid refrigerant to pass below the expanding opening. In this condition the machine may be allowed to stand until the pressures have become substantially equal throughout the system at about 50 pounds and the temperature about 35 F. Upon the renewal of operation of the machine, the compressorbegins to pump the refri erant from the lower coils through the con enser coils into the receiver and thence throu h the constantly open expander aperture an the remainder of the system. The effect of this operation is a gradual accumulation. of liquid on the top of the expander, a gradual drop in the suction pressure, and a cons uent rapid coolin efect of the system. 'I us in the space ottwo and one-half hours the pressure may decrease from pounds to 26 pounds and the temperature from'52 in other words, the same refrigerating efiect is produced in an hour shorter time than if a pressure of say 25 or 30 pounds were maintamed constant. 'llhis preferred operation of the machine is given merely to indicate the efi'ectiveness of'my invention and is in no we intended to-be understood as an invariab e, procedure which is essential to the success of the device. I h' "ve found in practice, however, that it gives the most satisfactory results to the end in view.

While I have herein described in some detail tionwhich I have found useful and convenlent, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes in the design and structural details of the device may be effected without de arture from the spirit of the invention, and within the scope ofthe appended claims; and I do not desire, there fore, to he understood as lixnitin myself to the precise construction shown w vention is considered What I. claim is:

1. A device for incorporation in a refrigcrating system to constitute the means of communication between the compression side and the expansion side, comprising a in its broader aspects.

en the inlllllr casing structure to form a part of the fluid passageway, a reducer having a constantopening therethrough andotherwise closing communication between said sides of the system, and a screw plug engaging the easing pressing said reducer positively in its place upon the casing and providin a gas passageway to the opening in there ucer.

2. In a device for 'incor orationin a refrigerating system to constitute the means of communication between the compression side.

and the expansion side, a casingstructure for forming rt of the liquid passageway provided wit an outlet duct and arecess surrounding said duct, a cup-shaped reducer interfittin in said recess and overlyin the duct and aving a small passa eway tierethrough communicating with t e duct, and a pressure screw bearing upon the reducer and leaving free a gas passageway through the reducer. i

3. A device for-incorporation in a refrigerating system, to constitute the means of; communication between the compression side and the expansion side, comprising acasing structure forming part of the fluid passageway, a reducer aving a constant opening therethrough and otherwise closing communication between said sides of the system, and a filtering appliance interposed between said reducer and the compress on side of the system.

4. A erating inlet an posed between sai openings having a single device for incorporation in a refriggystem, comprising a casing having outlet 0 enings, a reducer interconstant opening therethrou h, and a filtering body superposed upon t e reducer and interposed between. the same and the inlet.

5. In a device'of the character described, a casing having inlet and outlet openings, a reducer interposed between said inlet and outlet openinigls having an orifice therein,

a cylindrical tering body superposed upon said reducer and enveloping the orifice and pressure means maintaining said cylinder upon said reducer. k v

6. In a device of the character described, a casing havingan inlet, and a bottomoutlet, a reducer overlying the outlet 0 ening provided. with a constantl open orifice, a porous, hollow, c lindrica filtering body superposed upon t e reducer, and a pressure screw engaging and covering the top of the cylinder.

7. In a device of the character described, a casing having ,an inlet, anda bottom outlet 0 ening, a reducing cup having a constant y open orifice therethrough overlying the outlet, a porous hard body of cylindrical form superposed uponthe reducer surrounding the orifice, a' pressure screw engaging the top of the cylinder and having a central extension enteringsaid cylindrical filtering body and centerin the same. In testimony w ereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. 

